TV Guided: Ahhh, Sir, Just One More Question (About Columbo)!

Martinex1: Here at Back In The Bronze Age, under the banner of  "TV Guided" we will explore the series, shows, and programs - both good and bad - from the heyday of our three channel viewing in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.  From sci-fi to sitcom, hopefully we will find some treasures for our merry band to discuss.

Today, let's dive right in to one of the great detective shows of all ages,  Columbo.   Peter Falk portrayed the iconic version of the rumpled but brilliant detective on The NBC Mystery Movie in a wheel program rotation with other sleuth shows.   Created by William Link and Richard Levinson with the character partially based on Porfiry Petrovich from Crime and Punishment, the concept went through a couple of minor iterations on the small screen and on stage in the 1960s with other actors in the role before taking television by storm.

The show was not a whodunit in the traditional sense because the stories followed a pattern in which the murderer and the crime is revealed in the opening scenes.   Columbo follows more of a "how will you catch them" concept, as the disheveled L.A. detective meticulously yet casually deciphers the clues and dismantles the alibis.  The real charm however is in the acting and how Falk portrayed the character.

So many little ticks, touches, mannerisms, and stylings seem forever linked to the character.   The wavy uncombed hair, the chomped cigar, the twisted collar, the worn raincoat, the wrinkled suit, the scuffed shoes are only a small part of his character. He was proud of his Italian ancestry.   He loved his wife as expressed through small stories.  He had a lazy dog with no name.   He drove a Peugeot that had one wheel in the junkyard.  And those nuances only scratch the surface.

Peter Falk made the character his own, even wearing comfortable clothes from his own wardrobe. Columbo was expressive and kind and socially awkward - which was a strange mix for the hero detective of a primetime series.

Yet he was the perfect foil for the guest star villains of each episode.   For the most part, the killers were well-bred "pillars of society" and masters in their respective fields.  They were the Hollywood elite, or scientific geniuses, or art critics, or famous novelists - each with a scheme for a perfect murder.   But the crimes unraveled under Columbo's inquisitive nature.  The murderers considered themselves to be better and wiser than the disheveled nuisance Lieutenant Columbo but they were quickly proven wrong.   Small questions led to big mistakes and soon the light was shown on their murderous ways.   In many episodes, Columbo befriended his quarry and even earned their respect as he solved the unsolvable mystery.  The guest stars included the likes of Robert Kulp, Leonard Nimoy, Faye Dunaway, Roddy McDowall, William Shatner and Johnny Cash.

There are so many great episodes that it is hard to pick one to focus on (sure there were some clunkers too - but they were few and far between).   The writing was sharp and the best episodes highlighted Columbo's self -deprecation, clumsiness, and natural humor.   One of my favorite exchanges was when Columbo expressed that he often meets a suspect and says to himself, "Well this person couldn't possibly commit a crime of this magnitude."   The criminal asks how often he is right.  And without missing a beat Columbo answers, "Oh, about twenty percent of the time; I'm wrong a lot."  Falk supposedly ad-libbed quite a bit.   He would fumble through things in his pocket searching for a pen, or he would drop something, or he would discuss a prop - simply to make his co-actor a little apprehensive for the screen.  By most accounts he was a brilliant actor and a perfectionist. I should note that episodes were directed by the likes of Steven Spielberg ("Murder by the Book") and Jonathan Demme ("Murder Under Glass").

I think that the series really hit its stride in its 4th and 5th seasons (1974 -1975) but that is debatable.  One of my favorite shows was titled "Negative Reaction" and starred Dick Van Dyke as a world renowned photographer who designs a fake kidnapping to murder his rich henpecking wife.   Van Dyke plays against type as the creep.  The plot is fairly intricate and involves a purchased ranch, a recent prison parolee, cameras, torn newspapers,  and an inebriated witness.  Honestly, the resolution is good but not great; however, getting to that point is a ton of fun.

There are a few humorous vignettes that make this one great.   Columbo visits a soup kitchen to interview a witness, and a young nun there tries to give him a new coat.   Falk's natural bemusement at the situation brings chuckles every time.  In another scene, Columbo talks to a driving instructor portrayed humorously by Larry Storch (of F Troop and Tennessee Tuxedo fame) who has trouble believing Columbo could pass a driving test.  In the end, he of course proves to be more than competent as an investigator.

These little touches make Columbo one of a kind and worth seeking out.   I would say that the majority of the series is highly recommended and after watching it again recently, I am surprised that nobody has tried to revive it in some other form -novels, comics, or film.   Unfortunately Peter Falk passed away in 2011, but he has left us with numerous great performances.

So what are your recollections?  Do you recall this series with as much fondness as I do?   In the future under "TV Guided" we will explore some of the other NBC Mystery Movies and other detective series from that period.   Tell us what you think and we will keep the post light on.